Nearing the end his tenure as finance chief for consumer-products maker Kimberly-Clark Corp., Mark Buthman spoke with CFO Journal about succession, transitions and shifts at the company he’s served for more than three decades.

Ruth Porat may have to relocate her exclusive dinners to Silicon Valley once she takes the finance chief seat at Google Inc. The Morgan Stanley CFO is known as a strong advocate for women in the investment and corporate worlds, with events that bring together female leaders.

Whimsy is having a moment. In New York, thirty-somethings join kickball leagues and folks wait hours in line for novelty baked goods. Brooklyn pre-K for adults is the latest thing in self-indulgence, writes Anne Kadet.

For executives with heavy travel schedules and far-flung operations to oversee, face time has become a precious commodity. Videoconferencing isn’t as good as being in the room with a direct report or a top boss.

Companies including Wal-Mart, Credit Suisse and Box are analyzing an array of data points to determine who is likely to leave. The idea is for managers to have early warning so they can take action before employees jump ship.

U.S. regulators are zeroing in on Wall Street boardrooms as part of the government’s intensified scrutiny of the banking system, shifting from light-touch oversight of bank directors to regular and intense interactions.

At a time when elite M.B.A. programs thrive and lower-tier programs struggle to attract applicants, some deans say a high ranking can help them reach new prospective applicants or appease status-conscious donors.

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